FIG. 3 shows a conventional sensor for measuring the electrical conductivity of a fluid having a one-piece housing formed by casting and subsequent machining to the tolerances necessary for the sensor. The housing 30 is typically made of a castable metal alloy and requires thick walls to maintain a hermetic seal. The casting process introduces several undesirable limitations on the sensor. For example, metal alloys suitable for use in the casting of hermetically sealable enclosures may be inappropriate for use as an active part of the sensor, requiring the use of a second electrode as a reference. Cast parts typically have a greater percentage of porosity than parts made by deformation processing methods; therefore, wall thicknesses of cast parts must be greater than parts formed by deformation processing, such as stamping, deep drawing, hydroforming and coldforming. The unintentionally influence sensor measurements, causing an undesirable variation from sensor to sensor.